New Media & New Literacies

Degree: Master of Arts in Educational Studies

The goal of this program is to prepare a range of professionals working in school and out-of-school contexts who want to learn how to develop and study of new media and new literacies. The rapidly evolving technology and media landscape is now producing an accessible range of new media beyond print and broadcast. New media includes a range of representations, such as games and simulations; media-rich e-books, comics, and “info graphics”; mobile computing and augmented reality; blogs, social networks, video chat, and other modes of connectivity; etc. These new media are promising to expand and challenge our notions of learning and literacy.

These new media are also increasingly being used in educational contexts that not only span formal K-16 classroom environments, but also informal learning environments, such as museums, libraries, and the home. People now have increasing access to new media and tools in these different settings to develop new educational materials and representations, communicate with others, and make sense of complex concepts. New media are also providing new ways for literacy to be defined and practiced in diverse social and cultural contexts ranging from not just school settings, but also out-of-school settings (e.g., museums, maker spaces, home, etc.). Exploring the capabilities that new media enable to support and expand learning and literacy, however, requires a thorough understanding of how people construct, consume, and learn with new media and how the notion of literacy must evolve to account for how people make meaning with, by and through these media.

In this program, you will integrate ideas, practices, and tools from several areas (e.g., contemporary research on learning technologies, learning theory and the learning sciences, media, literacy) to explore and actively practice with the design, assessment, application, and use of new media in formal and informal educational settings. You will have opportunities to explore a variety of technologies and new media, and their application to educational issues, contexts, and practices in different disciplines, such as math, science, and the arts. You will also have opportunities to explore research behind “new literacies” that describe cognitive processes and social practices at play as people construct, produce, use and understand information that takes the different forms enabled by contemporary new media. Through these explorations, you will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to develop, implement, and assess new media with respect to their impact on learning and teaching. Finally, you will have the opportunity through your coursework and an internship to gain practical experience that will allow you to put these ideas, practices, and tools to use in real-world settings and projects.

Plan of Study

Please view the Course Planning Guide for details on course and credit requirements, including information about electives and the internship. We also invite you to review this list of Course Descriptions to become familiar with the types of master's-level courses offered in Educational Studies. It is important to note that course availability varies from year to year. This list is intended as a starting point for working with your faculty advisor to develop your program.

Explore Your Fit

To express your interest in the program and receive additional information from the Educational Studies MA Recruitment Coordinator, please complete this short form.